Marines ‘posted photos of naked colleagues on Facebook’

THE US department of defence is investigating reports that some marines shared naked photographs of female marines, veterans and other women on a secret Facebook page, some of which were taken without their knowledge.

The photographs were shared on the Facebook page “Marines United”, which had a membership of activeduty and retired male marines, US navy corpsmen and British Royal Marines. Along with identified female military members were some unidentifiable women in various stages of undress, and the posts included obscene comments, officials said.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is now investigating. The photographs have been taken down, officials said.

Gen Robert Neller, the Marine Corps commandant, on Sunday refused to comment directly about the ongoing investigation. “For anyone to target one of our marines, online or otherwise, in an inappropriate manner, is distasteful and shows an absence of respect,” he said in a statement.

It was not immediately known how many active-duty marines and other service members were involved or are under investigation. A Marine Corps official said at least one government contractor had been removed from his job after he posted a link to the photographs.

Sgt Maj Ronald Green, the top enlisted marine, said: “These negative behaviours are absolutely contrary to what we represent.”

The investigation was first reported by the Centre for Investigative Reporting (CIR). The activity was revealed by The War Horse, a non-profit news organisation run by marine veteran Thomas Brennan.

The CIR report said that more than two dozen active-duty women, officers and enlisted, were identified by their rank, full name and location in the photographs on the Facebook page. Other photographs of active duty and veteran women were also posted through a Google Drive link.